Flexibly supported enclosure for outdoor swimming pool



g- 4, 1964 B. J. GooDRlcH 3,143,122

FLEXIBLY SUPPORTED ENCLOSURE FOR OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL Filed Feb. 12, '1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BURTON J. GOODRICH i 4 ATTORNEY Aug. 4, 1964 B. J. G'OCDRICH FLEXI EBLY SUPPORTED ENCLOSURE FOR OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. l2, 1962 INVENTOR. BURTON J. GOODRICH ATTO RN EY United States Patent This invention relates in general to covers of pliant material, such as canvas, plastic, and the like, for outdoor swimming pools. With the rapid increase in private outdoor swimming pools throughout the country removable coverings have been provided in some instances for keeping leaves and other debris from falling into the pools, and especially for providing a safeguard for children when the pools are unattended. Such coverings are removed when the pools are being actually used.

The present invention, however, relates more specifically to enclosures of pliant material for outdoor swimming pools which serve not only as a covering over the pool but also as an enclosure around and above the pool so arranged as to enable the pool to be used for swimming within the enclosure. The particular added advantage of having such an enclosure over an outdoor swimming pool is the fact that such enclosure enables the swimming pool to be used during a longer period of the year, if not throughout the entire year, in locations where the outside temperature is too cold during part of the year for ordinary use of such outdoor swimming pools.

An object of this invention is to provide a practical enclosure for outdoor swimming pool which will act as a protection against the weather to persons using the pool and also, when the water in the swimming pool is heated, to provide persons using the pool with an atmosphere more comfortable than the colder outside temperature.

One of the problems which has been encountered in the use of tent-like enclosures for outdoor swimming pools for this purpose is the likelihood of such enclosures, formed of canvas or other suitable pliant material, being wrecked by heavy winds and storms, by falling objects, and especially by snow storms, since a sudden rapid fall of snow can cause such a weight to accumulate on the stretched material forming the enclosure as to break it or cause the entire enclosure to collapse.

Accordingly a particular object of the present invention is to provide an enclosure which will be flexibly supported over an outdoor swimming pool so that flexible supporting means can absorb or cushion sudden strains and loads imposed on the structure instead of requiring the structure to attempt to meet such strains and loads with rigid resistance.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved and flexibly supported enclosure of this type for the purpose mentioned which will be practical and simple in construction, of moderate cost in production, and which will not be difiicult to set up in place or to remove whenever desired.

The manner in which these objects and other incidental advantages are attained with the flexibly supported enclosure of the present invention, and the manner in which such enclosure is constructed, will briefly explained and described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the enclosure showing the same set up in position at a desired location;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 but drawn to a larger scale, the full lines indicating the normal position of the enclosure and the broken lines indicating the position which the enclosure might assume, for example, under a heavy snow fall;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken on the line indicated at 33 in FIG. 1 drawn to a still larger scale;

3,143,122 Patented Aug. 4, 1964 FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 but drawn to a larger scale and showing the base mounting for one of the supporting posts for the enclosure;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevation taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1 and drawn to the same scale as FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a pair of the smaller supporting posts at the lower side of the enclosure together with the mounting for the same, the cover material being indicated only by broken lines for the sake of clarity, this view being drawn to a slightly larger scale than FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation on line 77 of FIG. 1 drawn to the same scale as FIG. 2.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the enclosure comprises a tent-like structure, the base of which is rectangular in outline and of proper size to extend around the border of a rectangular swimming pool spaced beyond the pool border. In FIG. 2 the swimming pool is indicated in part by the reference character 10, the paved area around the pool by the reference character 11, and the surface of the water in the pool by W. The pliant material forming the covering 12 for the enclosure, preferably is made of a series of strong plastic sheets secured together but may also be made of stitched canvas, or any other suitable fabric of sufficient tensile strength and weather and waterproof. The enclosure is formed with a sloping high side wall portion 13, a lower sloping side wall portion 14 on the opposite side, a pair of substantially vertical end walls 16, one of which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, and an inclined top portion 15 extending from the high side wall portion 13 to the low side wall portion 14. The covering is supported on a row of inclined posts on the high side and an opposite row of inclined lower posts on the low side.

The row of posts on the high side includes a pair of end posts 17, one of which is shown best in FIG. 3, and a plurality of equally spaced intermediate posts 18 (FIGS. 2 and 3). These posts are formed of tubular light weight metal such as aluminum, are all the same height, and, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2 are inclined outwardly up wardly away from the pool. At their base these posts are mounted for limited movement in any direction, being mounted as illustrated in FIG. 4. Thus the bottom end of each post is set down over a headed screw member 19 (*FIG. 4), the head of which is of less diameter than the inside diameter of the post. Sockets 20 for these screws are set down into the concrete or other surfacing with which the immediate area around the pool is covered.

The covering 12 is provided with holes for receiving the top ends of the posts 17 and 18, and these holes in the covering are reinforced with metal eyelets 21 (FIG. 3) to prevent any tearing of the covering at the holes. On each of the intermediate posts 18 a top sleeve cap 22, which supports the covering 12 at the posts, is slidably supported on the posts by a coil spring 23, the bottom of which coil spring rests on a sleeve cap 24. The sleeve 24 is stationary on the post but is adjustably held in place thereon by a set screw 25. Thus, as apparent from FIG. 3, when the downward thrust on the covering 12 about the post 18 becomes sufficient, the compression of the spring 23 will enable part of this downward thrust to be cushioned and absorbed and in this way reduce a sudden strain imposed on the covering in that area. The tension of the springs 23, and thus the tension on the covering 12, can be adjusted by adjusting the position of the bottom supporting sleeve 24.

Each of the two end posts 17 of this row has a sleeve cap 26 (FIG. 3) which is not spring mounted but which is adjustably secured on the post by a set screw. Each of these sleeve caps for the posts 17 however has an eye bolt 27 to which a guy lineanchoring assembly 28 is attached, the bottom end of this guy line assembly being anchored outside the enclosure as indicated in FIG. 1. Each guy line assembly includes a spring element 29 (FIG. 3) which permits the top of each end post 17 to be moved inwardly against the pull of the spring element. Thus, as apparent from FIG. 3, when the downward pressure on the covering 12 in the area between an end post 17 and an adjacent post 18 increases sufliciently, the end post 17 will be pulled slightly inwardly and thus cause some slack in the covering to develope around the end post so as to reduce a sudden strain on the covering at that point.

On the opposite or lower side of the enclosure the covering 12 is similarly supported on a row of shorter posts, which also are inclined outwardly-upwardly away from the pool, thus sloping oppositely from the posts supporting the high side of the enclosure. The shorter posts are tubular, the same as the opposite longer posts, and this row of shorter posts includes a pair of end posts 30 (FIGS. 1 and 7) and a plurality of equally spaced intermediate posts 31, preferably spaced the same distance apart as the taller posts on the opposite side of the enclosure.

The intermediate posts 31 on the low side of the enclosure similarly are provided with cover-supporting top sleeve caps 32 (FIGS. 2 and 6) mounted on coil springs 33, and the bottom ends of these coil springs are supported on stationary sleeves 34 which are adjustably secured in place on the posts by set screws. Unlike the corresponding intermediate posts on the high side of the enclosure, these posts 31 are not flexibly mounted at their bottom ends but are attached to T-shaped members 35 which rest on the ground surfacing and are held in place by anchor bolts 36. Since the side wall 14 of the covering on the low side of the enclosure is so short, flexible mounts for these posts in addition to the spring-supported top sleeve caps 32 have not been found necessary.

The two end posts 30 on the low side are however, flexibly supported at their base in the same manner as the posts on the high side of the enclosure, thus being set on headed screw members, as previously described with ref erence to the taller posts and as illustrated in FIG. 4. Each of these two end posts 30 has a sleeve cap 37 (FIG. 7) for supporting the corresponding corner portion of the cover 12, but these sleeve caps 37, like the sleeve caps on the end taller posts 17, are not spring mounted but are adjustably supported on the posts by set screws. Also like the taller end posts 17, each of these end posts 30 is attached to an external guy line assembly 38 (FIGS. 1 and 7) which assembly similarly contains a spring element, thus allowing the two end posts 30 to be pulled inwardly slightly when extra pressure or strain is imposed on the cover 12 at these corners.

On all four sides of the enclosure the bottom of the covering 12 is held down by being clamped beneath members 39, for instance, beneath 2 x 4 inch wooden strips, which members or strips 39 are clamped down by screws 40 secured in sockets 41 set into the pavement surrounding the pool. Thus by releasing and removing the clamping members 30, the covering 12 can be lifted up, and, since all the posts for the enclosure are easily lifted from their mountings, the removal of the entire enclosure, as well as the setting up of the enclosure, can be accomplished without any excessive expenditure of time or labor.

The fact that the end posts on the high side of the enclosure are held by exterior guy lines which allow stretching, the fact that the intermediate posts 18 carry spring-mounted sleeve caps for supporting the covering 12, the fact that the tall posts are all flexibly mounted at their bases, and the fact that the corresponding shorter posts on the opposite side also either have spring-mounted sleeve caps or spring guy lines, enable considerable slack to develop in the covering 12 when excessive stresses are imposed on the covering, for example, during wind storms or during heavy snow storms. FIG. 2 illustrates more or less diagrammatically how a load of snow imposed on the covering may, in extreme instances, cause the main top portion of the covering to sag until part of the weight of the covering and imposed load is supported on the surface of the water in the pool. The flexible support for the covering provided by the posts on both sides of the enclosure makes this possible. In the absence of such flexible support, with the covering being held firmly in its normal position, such strains on the covering would result at times in the tearing of the covering and the wrecking of the enclosure, a result which has not infrequently occurred in the past with outdoor tent-like enclosures. An added advantage in the flexible supporting means for the covering 12, as apparent from FIG. 2, is the fact that the two rows of posts on the opposite sides of the enclosure and pool slope in opposite directions, away from the pool, thus increasing the effectiveness of the spring-mountings on the posts for the covering 12.

When the wind acts in such a manner as to lift the pliant covering the upward pressure exerted by the springs 23 and 33 against the covering on the oppositely inclined rows of posts tends to maintain the covering in desired taut condition.

The enclosure is provided with an entrance door at one end, shown in part in FIG. 5, which includes a hinged frame 42 and suitable support elements mounted on an end post 17, a portion of an end wall 16 of the covering 12 serving to cover the door, and the enclosure is also preferably provided with plastic windows (not shown) set into the covering 12 and with controllable ventilating apertures (also not shown).

When the enclosure is set up in place around and over an outdoor swimming pool, with the covering 12 secured down tightly on four sides of the enclosure, air within the enclosure will be warmed by the water, and even to some extent, by the sun in cool weather, thus enabling the pool to be used under comfortable conditions even though the temperature outside the enclosure would be uncomfortable for swimmers.

Various minor modifications might be made in the structure of the enclosure without departing from the main features of the same or from the principle of the invention.

I claim:

1. A tent-like enclosure for an outdoor swimming pool including a row of similar posts positioned on one side of the swimming pool, holding means for the bottom ends of said posts secured in the ground surfacing adjacent said pool, the bottom ends of said posts flexibly mounted on said holding means for limited movement of said posts in all directions, said posts normally inclined outwardly away from said pool and normally extending substantially parallel to each other, a row of posts on the opposite side of said pool, the posts in this second mentioned row inclined outwardly away from said pool and thus sloping in opposite direction from the posts in said first mentioned row, the posts in said second row being substantially parallel to each other and considerably shorter in length than the posts of said first mentioned row, means secured to the ground surfacing adjacent said pool for holding the posts of said second row in place, a covering of pliant sheet material supported by said two rows of posts, means for securing the border portions of said covering to the ground beyond said posts and on all sides of said pool, said covering provided with apertures for the top ends of the posts of both of said rows, cap sleeves on all of said posts supporting said covering at said apertures respectively, adjustable support elements for said cap sleeves, and coil springs included in said adjustable support elements on some of said posts.

2. A tent-like enclosure for an outdoor swimming pool including a row of similar posts positioned on one side of the swimming pool, holding means for the bottom ends of said posts secured in the ground surfacing adjacent said pool, the bottom ends of said posts flexibly mounted on said holding means for limited movement of said posts in all directions, said posts normally inclined outwardly away from said pool and normally extending substantially parallel to each other, a second row of posts on the op posite side of said pool, the posts in said second row inclined outwardly away from said pool and thus sloping in opposite direction from the posts in said first mentioned row, the posts in said second row being substantially parallel to each other and considerably shorter in length than the posts in said first mentioned row, means secured to the ground surfacing adjacent said pool for flexibly hold ing the bottom ends of the two end posts of said second row in place, means secured to said ground surfacing adjacent said pool for rigidly securing the other posts of said second row in position, a covering of pliant sheet material supported by said two rows of posts, means for securing the border portions of said covering to the ground beyond said posts and on all sides of said pool, said covering provided with apertures for the top ends of the posts of both of said rows, cap sleeves on all of said posts supporting said covering at said apertures respectively, adjustable support elements for said cap sleeves, coil springs included in said adjustable support elements on all of said posts except the two end posts in each of said rows, and an adjustable spring tensioned guy line connected to the end post of each of said rows.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 32,715 Williams July 2, 1861 957,823 Viles May 10, 1910 2,368,692 Wallance Feb. 6, 1945 2,912,703 Murphy Nov. 17, 1959 2,952,024 Bartolucci Sept. 13, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 140,516 Sweden May 26, 1953 501,332 Great Britain Feb. 24, 1939 503,889 Great Britain Apr. 17, 1939 739,333 France Oct. 25, 1932 

1. A TENT-LIKE ENCLOSURE FOR AN OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL INCLUDING A ROW OF SIMILAR POSTS POSITIONED ON ONE SIDE OF THE SWIMMING POOL, HOLDING MEANS FOR THE BOTTOM ENDS OF SAID POSTS SECURED IN THE GROUND SURFACING ADJACENT SAID POOL, THE BOTTOM ENDS OF SAID POSTS FLEXIBLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOLDING MEANS FOR LIMITED MOVEMENT OF SAID POSTS IN ALL DIRECTIONS, SAID POSTS NORMALLY INCLINED OUTWARDLY AWAY FROM SAID POOL AND NORMALLY EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER, A ROW OF POSTS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID POOL, THE POSTS IN THIS SECOND MENTIONED ROW INCLINED OUTWARDLY AWAY FROM SAID POOL AND THUS SLOPING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM THE POSTS IN SAID FIRST MENTIONED ROW, THE POSTS IN SAID SECOND ROW BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER AND CONSIDERABLY SHORTER IN LENGTH THAN THE POSTS OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED ROW, MEANS SECURED TO THE GROUND SURFACING ADJACENT SAID POOL FOR HOLDING THE POSTS OF SAID SECOND ROW IN PLACE, A COVERING OF PLIANT SHEET MATERIAL SUPPORTED BY SAID TWO ROWS OF POSTS, MEANS FOR SECURING THE BORDER PORTIONS OF SAID COVERING TO THE GROUND BEYOND SAID POSTS AND ON ALL SIDES OF SAID POOL, SAID COVERING PROVIDED WITH APERTURES FOR THE TOP ENDS OF THE POSTS OF BOTH OF SAID ROWS, CAP SLEEVES ON ALL OF SAID POSTS SUPPORTING SAID COVERING AT SAID APERTURES RESPECTIVELY, ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT ELEMENTS FOR SAID CAP SLEEVES, AND COIL SPRINGS INCLUDED IN SAID ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT ELEMENTS ON SOME OF SAID POSTS. 